A Thought For Your Weekend

This morning as I was doing some devotional reading in one of my favorite books, I came across the following words. Read them ... think about them ... apply them to yourself.

"The point is this: We were made to know and treasure the glory of God above all things; and when we trade that treasure for lessor things, everything is disordered. The sun of God's glory was made to shine at the center of the solar system of our soul. And when it does, all the planets of our life are held in their proper orbit. But when the sun is displaced, everything flies apart. The healing of the soul begins by restoring the glory of God to its flaming, all-attracting place at the center." (John Piper, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, p. 21).

Thanks for listening,

pj

Death WILL Come Calling!

Yesterday, I googled the word, "death" and came up with over 390 million hits! The first site listed was http://www.deathclock.com/. Curious, I went to the site. Once there I found out that by entering some pertinent personal information (like date of birth, gender, Body Mass Index, etc.) the site would calculate my personal date of death. So, with some hesitation, I entered all the data, clicked "check your death clock" and waited. After what seemed like hours (which I am sure were just seconds) my date came up. I sure was relieved to see the date, December 22, 2029. But then I looked at my calendar and realized that is just 22 years away! Gulp. I was hoping for at least another thirty!

Now of course, there is no way this clock can be sure. All it is doing is going on statistics relative to length of life (to prove this, I did all the same data and changed my gender. If I were a woman I could count on living an additional 6 years - all because women on average live longer than men!). But there is one thing that is "dead" certain - all of us will one day die (unless the Lord Jesus returns for us before hand!). Statistics tell us that one out of every one dies! The Bible reveals to us the reason we all will die. In Romans 6:23 we are told that "the wages of sin is death." And since "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23) therefore all of us will die. So even though none of us know when death will come calling -- all of us know death will come. No matter how much we might try to deny or escape or delay this fact -- death will come. For the follower of Jesus, death is not something to fear! Jesus himself has conquered death, freeing us from its grip and its fear (see Hebrews 2:14-15). This is why the Apostle Paul states with such passion in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Thanks for listening,

pj

Now That's Some Piece of Real Estate!

Not too long ago, my wife and I were taking a walk when we came upon this sign. After reading the sign, I checked with my wife to see if she thought we should make an offer. An acre of real estate for just $1.7 million - sounds like a real deal! However, our credit card's spending limit was not quite enough!

The old saying that with real estate it's all about location, location, location - is definitely true. The acre being advertised for sale in this sign is located on the waterfront in Bar Harbor, Maine. Definitely a prime location! And if I had the financial capacity to do so, I would possibly think seriously about making an offer. It is incredibly beautiful in that part of Maine! (I wonder if they would accept an even million? Hmm...)

Now as valuable as this piece of property is - there is real estate far more valuable. In fact, the real estate I am thinking of is "out of this world!" It is the real estate of heaven (yes, heaven is a real place - just as real, if not more so, than that acre of waterfront property in Bar Harbor!). If you have not read the Bible's most complete description of heaven recently, let me encourage you to read the final two chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21-22). I just read it and WOW! I am more than ready to go there!). But unlike the acre in Bar Harbor, the real estate of heaven is not for sale! It has already been paid for -- by the blood of Jesus Christ. How about YOU? Are YOU trusting in Christ's sacrifice (and his sacrifice alone) to gain your entrance into this wonderful eternal place called Heaven? Jesus is indeed the ONLY way (see John 14:1-6).

Thanks for listening,

pj

Sunday Evening at the Emmys

This past Sunday evening (at least I think it was Sunday), television handed out its annual Emmy awards. One winner, comedienne Kathy Griffin said the following as part of her acceptance speech: "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus ... This award is my god now."

Bottom line, Griffin spoke blasphemy (now there is a word you don't hear much of any more - but it is a word that occurs some 3 dozen times in the Bible!). According to the Bible, it is Jesus who is holding this entire universe together by the power of HIS word (see Hebrews 1:3; also Acts 17:28 declares that it is in God that "we move an live and have our being"). So Jesus in fact DID have something to do with Griffin winning her award (because the last time I checked, you had to be alive and acting or performing in some way in television to win an Emmy).

In mocking Jesus, Griffin was hoping to be offensive. Really? Yes! After the winning the award, she was asked by a reporter about her speech. Among other things, she told him, "I hope I offended some people. I didn't want to win the Emmy for nothing." Well Griffin succeeded. She offended many (a number of the major media outlets edited out this remark). But she had better worry about the One who bore the greatest offense. Judgment day is coming (Hebrews 9:27). And if she continues down her current path, only death and destruction await her (Proverbs 16:25).

Will you join me in praying today for Kathy Griffin and countless others who need to repent of their sinful rebellion against God and receive the free gift of salvation in Christ?

Thanks for listening,

pj

Flashback to November 2005 Post: A Lesson from The Family Circus

I don’t know about you, but I love the cartoon family of Bill Keane. Perhaps it is because his “keane” sense of humor is just as keen as mine! In a recent cartoon, little Billy and his younger brother are watching squirrels scampering about gathering acorns from the ground. Billy says to his brother, "Look at those squirrels. They’re real busy and they have nuttin’ to do!”

How many of us are real busy doing “nuttin?” We scurry from one activity to the next while accomplishing little if anything for God and His Kingdom. I encourage you to take some time out and evaluate your life. Time is too valuable a resource to waste and Jesus just may come back sooner than any of us think! So let’s seize the moment and live it for Jesus! Before your time of evaluation pray these words: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Carpe Diem (Seize the Day!),

pj

Up, Up and Away - The Price of Oil Hits New High!

It was just last week that the price of oil briefly topped $80 a barrel before slipping back below the $80 mark. I just noticed that today the price of oil futures are once again selling for over $80 a barrel. Now I am not an economist. I never took a college class in economics. Never read a book on economics. I don't claim to understand how our economy works. So when I read that the reason for the rise in the price of oil is on "expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut the benchmark federal funds rate, a move the market expects will support the economy and ensure its thirst for oil and gasoline," I am somewhat perplexed. But then I remember two summers ago when Katrina was forecast to head into the Gulf of Mexico (where off shore oil rigs abound and where oil refineries dot the coast) the price of oil rose on the expectation that some of these oil rigs and refineries could be destroyed or at least put out of action for some time. And then there was the time that it was feared that the United States might use military force to "encourage" Iran to back off its nuclear program. Once again, based on this expectation (and the fact that Iran is a major exporter of world oil), oil prices rose! (I always wonder why it does not seem like oil prices drop when these expectations fail to be realized!??!).

Well, I don't think I will ever fully understand the whole futures market thing (whether oil or natural gas or grain or whatever the commodity). But I do find it fascinating how expectations of the future impact the price of doing business in the present!

As followers of Christ, we have a certain expectation of the future that SHOULD be impacting how we live out our lives right here and right now. The apostle John understood this when he wrote, "And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28). Jesus IS coming back! And he is coming back for us (see John 14:1-3). If this is so (and it is an expectation we SHOULD hold based on the clear teaching of the Bible) - then we should live NOW in the "way of Jesus" so that THEN (when he comes back for us) we will avoid being embarrassed and ashamed. How about YOU? Are you living today, right now with the ever present expectation that one day (maybe even today!) Jesus is coming back for YOU?

Thanks for listening,

pj

A Thot for Your Day from C.S. Lewis and King Solomon

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

"I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. He has . . . set eternity in their heart." (Ecclesiastes 3:10-11)